Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Tarun Bhanot on Saturday, 20 April, lodged a police complaint seeking action against BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur for her remarks against former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare.
Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, had earlier claimed Karkare died in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks as she had "cursed" him for "torturing" her.
Bhanot told news agency PTI he had filed the case with Bhopal’s Gorakhpur police station as a private citizen and not in the capacity of a state minister.
"I as a citizen filed a complaint with the city police demanding action against BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh for making derogatory remarks against Hemant Karkare," Bhanot told PTI.
"I am hurt with her remarks against a martyr and filed the complaint as a citizen and not a minister. I am seeking action as per law against her," he added.
‘Her Comments Reflect Her Mentality’: Ahmed Patel
Meanwhile, speaking to news agency ANI, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said that Thakur’s comments on Karkare was a reflection of her mentality.
“It’s a party’s right to field any candidate they want for elections, I would not like to comment on that but saying something against an officer who sacrificed himself fighting terrorism isn’t right. Although she withdrew her statement it shows her mentality.”
Later, Times Now quoted Patel accusing the BJP of indulging in ‘double standard’ by giving Thakur a ticket.
“This is the kind of people the BJP is giving a ticket to. On the one hand, they talk about fighting terror, and on the other you are giving ticket to those who criticise those who fight terror. What is this double standard?” he was quoted as saying by the news channel.
(With inputs from PTI)
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